Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
But right there and then, the great chasm between them had disappeared.
And she understood immediately why Qiao Lian had behaved the insane way she had when she got into the water. Because at times, one had to let oneself go to close the distance.
After a long water fight, the four were finally exhausted, trying to catch their breaths.
Qiao Lian looked at Shen Zihao smugly and said, “See, aren’t we good?”
“Sheesh... You call that good?”
“Your big brother is better looking than you, has a better body than you, and his results in school were better than yours! Speak the truth, were you ever jealous of him?”
Shen Zihao snorted and said, “My big brother is perfect in your eyes, but don’t you know there’s something that he’s not as good at as I am?”
He looked up smugly and said, “When we were young, he could never beat me at the 100 meter sprint!”
Qiao Lian looked at Shen Liangchuan when she heard this and asked, “Is that true?”
Shen Liangchuan coughed.
Shen Zihao continued to expose the truth of the past, “Sister-in-law, you should know that even though you think the world of him now, the fact is that he was lazy as a kid. I was much fitter than him!”
Qiao Lian bit her lip, trying not to laugh, and said, “That’s because you’re simple-minded, but well developed physically. Your brother was probably the type who exercised his brain more?”
Shen Zihao widened his eyes and retorted, “What do you mean by simple-minded but well-developed physically? Don’t you have any diplomacy?!”
They struggled against the ebbing of the water as they walked towards the shore.
They hadn’t felt it when they were playing around in the water, but now it felt like their legs were laden with lead.
The four of them threw themselves down on the sand and were so tired that they didn’t want to move.
Xia Yehua called them at this point, “Ok, you guys must be hungry and thirsty? Come over quickly for some food!”
None of them felt like moving an inch.
With a wave of her hand, Qiao Lian told the woman, “Mom, just leave the food there for now. We’re tired and can’t move an inch.”
Xia Yehua had already started approaching them as Qiao Lian spoke.
She was carrying a tray on which there were four glasses of beverage.
Thrusting a glass of mango juice at Qiao Lian, she said, “There you go, your favorite.”
Qiao Lian smiled as she reached for the glass.
Then she gave Shen Liangchuan a glass of Chinese herb tea and said, “Your favorite herb tea!”
And right after, she walked up to Shen Zihao, held out a glass of honey lemon water and said, “This is your favorite!”
Taking the glass from her, Shen Zihao paused for a moment.
When he was a child, honey lemon water had been his favorite drink. After all these years, his mom still remembered.
Or rather, she had never forgotten.
She stood before him now smiling broadly. Her affable expression warmed his heart, like how the sun was warming their bodies now.
He took a sip of the honey lemon water. The taste was familiar—just enough honey and not too sweet. However, it was full of flavor, just the way he liked it.
Even a meticulous person like Mei Feng hadn’t picked up on these little habits of his.
Shen Zihao hung his head.
Actually, it felt wonderful to have a mother, didn’t it?
Finally, Xia Yehua walked up to Xia Nuannuan and said, “Nuannuan, you’re pregnant, don’t play in the water too much. I’ve prepared you apple juice. It’s soft and good for the child.”
Xia Nuannuan reached for the apple juice and said, “Thank you, Mom!”
Then she lowered her head and started to drink.
So this group of youngsters played unrestrained all afternoon, thus forging a closer bond.